Church Leaders:
A Proactive Approach to Safety for Every House of Worship
Houses of Worship are meant to provide a feeling of peace for those who enter them. They foster a sense of community and connection that allows congregants to thrive, but this is only possible when people feel safe physically, socially and emotionally.
When people enter a church, synagogue, temple, mosque or any house of worship, they assume that it will be safe for them and their family. Unfortunately, recent events are a reminder that critical emergencies and active shooter situations are unpredictable. This understanding shouldn’t stop communities of faith from gathering together, but it should inform the way religious leaders prepare their congregations.
ALICE Training® Prepares Individuals to Actively Engage in Their Safety
FBI hate crime statistics show that there were 1,244 incidents related to religion in 2020 and 3.4% of all hate crimes took place in churches, synagogues, temples and mosques. As violent incidents in houses of worship continue to make the news across the nation, religious leaders must take seriously their responsibility to equip followers with lifesaving knowledge.
70% of active shooter events last on average five minutes or less, sometimes ending before a call to 911 or the deployment of law enforcement. It’s crucial that people know how to respond and participate in their own survival during these types of events. Active shooter response training maximizes your congregants’ chances of survival, because it equips them to assess and respond to imminent danger, no matter where they might be.
ALICE Training®, the number one active shooter civilian response training program for all organizations, can help religious leaders equip their congregants with an options-based response that can be used in any violent critical situation, whether they are in a house of worship of somewhere else in the community. This training will help participants develop situational awareness, rapid decision-making skills and an ability to stay calm and focused under pressure. These skills can be carried outside the walls of a church or temple to empower individuals to participate in their own survival no matter where they are.
Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting: Congregation Member Attributes Survival to ALICE Training®
What Does ALICE Training® Teach?
ALICE Training® is an options-based, age- and ability-appropriate, trauma-informed approach to an armed intruder situation. With training modified based on the ages, experiences and abilities of those in attendance, the basics of the ALICE approach are Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate.
Alert: A speedy response is critical to survival. Quickly recognizing signs of danger allows people to make the best survival decisions for the situation.
Lockdown: When evacuation is not an option, barricade entry points in the room with enhanced lockdown tactics and prepare for the next response strategy.
Inform: Communicate real-time information about the armed assailant with those in the immediate vicinity and first responders.
Counter: As a last resort, create noise, movement, distance and distraction to decrease the intruder’s ability to cause harm.
Evacuate: When it is safe to do so, retreat to an area that is out of harm’s way.
Training that Builds Confidence Within Your Faith Community
It may be difficult to consider the fact that your house of worship needs an evidence-based active shooter response program, but equipping your congregants with the skills learned in ALICE Training® could be the difference between safety and tragedy in a violent intruder incident.
ALICE Training® can help provide peace of mind that will allow your congregation to truly thrive and give participants the tools they need in dangerous situations. To develop a proactive approach to safety in your house of worship, contact us to learn more.
